Tuesday, 28 February 2017

28th February 1817: Henry Enfield raises concerns about the move of the Nottinghamshire Assizes with the Home Secretary

Nottingham 28 Feby. 1817

My Lord

The designed measure of holding the ensuing Assizes for the County of Nottingham at Newark, has not, as may be supposed by your Lordship, been heard with indifference by the Magistrates of the Town of Nottingham; & they beg your Lordship to allow me to state to you what they have done upon the occasion.

In consequence of the official Communication upon this subject addressed to me by the Clerk of the Assizes, the Mayor of & Aldermen met yesterday morning—& it did certainly appear to them, that if the removal of the Assizes resulted from what occurred or was said to be in meditation at the last County Assizes, it would be likely to cast an Imputation upon the Civil Authorities, & might tend to prejudice them in the public mind—They therefore directed me to address, in their name, Mr. Sherbrooke & Doctor Wylde, by a letter, a Copy of which I take the liberty of inclosing to your Lordship

Mr Sherbrooke wrote to me in reply, that he had heard with great surprize the report which I had confirmed, that it was intended by Government to adjourn the Assize for the County to Newark—that the County magistrates had met the preceding day, & made an arrangement with the High Sheriff which he had not the smallest Doubt would preserve the peace at the Assizes—& that it was intended to apply to the Towns magistrates for some of their Police Officers also to attend the Court—Mr. Sherbrooke, in Conclusion, says, "If you have any Correspondence with his Majesty's Ministers upon this Subject, I beg you will say, that the magistrates of the County as well as those of the Town have the utmost Confidence in their Ability to preserve the peace, & whatever Civil force is raised in the County will at all times be actively employed for the peace of the Town."—

Your Lordship may rest assured that the most effective measures will be taken by the magistrates of Nottingham (by an adequate additional civil force) to secure perfectly good order at the approaching Assizes for the Town—